Pinot Gris 2016

Thwarted again! Just when we had worked ourselves into a position where we were able to offer our dry and highly textured Pinot Gris with some desirable bottle age on it, an increased voracity for the style plus the effect of the small 2015 vintage have propelled us into having to release this wine after just 8 months in the bottle. Don’t worry though, all the constituents are there but we would strongly encourage you to tuck a couple of bottles of this wine away in the cellar for a year or two to allow it to truly flex its muscles.

An obvious richness to the colour announces that the wine has plenty to offer. Ultra ripe rock melon and honey suckle drifting along a warm lakeshore combine on the nose with slightly more subtle bees wax and malted barley notes. Aging a small portion of the blend in seasoned oak for 10 months has helped advance the wine and imparted a tantalising musky redolence while figgy jam and lavender-like terpenes still shine through.

The palate is somewhat deceptive. It starts out soft and malleable, presenting an almost creamy texture but becomes increasingly imposing as it works its way back, causing a tingling sensation like little arrows prickling the tongue. Rich artichoke hearts and freshly cracked walnuts form a broad fruit spectrum which is accentuated by the softness of the benevolent acidity. The wine is young but self-assured, firm but fair as the phenolics hang in suspense over the fruit like the Sword of Damocles. An intriguing meatiness reminiscent of prosciutto joins with drying meadow hay to add a complexing richness but it is the sting in the tail that truly awakens the senses causing the finish to last long minutes, leaving you to sit and savour and smile. Experience tells us this wine will develop more power and more complexity over time.